The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) has lifted its moratorium on Super Rugby player contracts and promised to honour all deals, including for those who sign with a team that is subsequently axed.
It comes as ARU chairman Cameron Clyne could not rule out the possibility on Monday that all five Australian Super Rugby teams may remain next season, amid legal threats over plans to cut either the Melbourne Rebels or Western Force.
Clyne admitted "every roadblock" possible had been erected to stop the governing body following through on its promise.
And even with the ARU finally confirming an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) would be held on June 20, Clyne conceded he had no real idea of when it would all end.
"We're certainly hopeful that the process we announced back in April will come to a conclusion at some point," Clyne said on Monday.
"I can't predict when that will be. A lot of elements are outside our control.
"All we can do it make ourselves as available to get this process resolved as quickly as possible."
The EGM will be held in Sydney three days after the Wallabies' Test against Scotland and four days before they face Italy in Brisbane.
While Clyne was only re-elected last month, he could face a leadership challenge if angry stakeholders are not placated at the meeting.
The confirmation comes seven weeks after the ARU originally announced one franchise would be closed down, promising an answer within three days.
Clyne gave no guarantees a resolution would be reached at the EGM or, indeed, at any time in the near future.
Asked if the ARU could be forced to keep all five Australian teams, he said: "We're still working to our announcement that our intention is to go down a process of working towards four teams."
"We remain confident that will result in the process coming to a potential change. But it's hard to speculate."
Clyne also dismissed as "utter nonsense" suggestions the ARU was preparing a $6 million offer to buy the Rebels' licence from owner Andrew Cox so they could close the club down.
"If we had that sort of money we wouldn't be in this situation," he said.
Meanwhile, the ARU announced they've lifted their block on franchises signing contracts with non-Wallabies.
"If the process does result in a team leaving the competition, all player contracts will be honoured," Clyne said on Monday.
"The best we can do in terms of certainty is to say to players, 'no matter what the outcome you'll have the certainty of having your contract honoured.'"
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